Fairfax joins the convergence movement with impending IPTV launch

The broadcast model is broken – and Fairfax is hoping its new model can fix it.

Broadcasting is broken – and Fairfax is hoping its new model can fix it.

Publishers around the world
are embracing visual media to try and
fill the financial void, and Fairfax will join that brigade with its
soon-to-launch local IPTV arm.

According to Fairfax
Media’s Sandra King, it’s a natural step for Fairfax: it already
specialises in content generation; its journalists are already out in
the field filming; production capacity has been increased as online
video has taken off; and there’s a belief within the organisation that
content needs to be “platform agnostic”.

“Whether the audience is
interested in food or gardening, we can [generate content] better than
anyone and cover the length and breadth of New Zealand,” she said.

APN already
has its booming news-only nzheraldTV and many traditional print-based
entities (including Tangible Media) are looking towards video
production, with many clients who say they don’t have the budget for
display advertising seemingly able to find the cash if a good creative
multimedia solution can be offered. Overseas, The New York Times already has a TV offering, it’s also very common among European media companies and the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age launched their TV arms about two months ago.

But
it’s the approach to long-form content that sets this scheme apart and
puts it more in the league of TVNZ and MediaWorks. It’s signed a deal
with the ABC and is in discussion with other studios and TV
manufacturers, with the end goal being to include a Fairfax TV app on
the ever-increasing number of smart, internet-enabled TVs (King says
there are about 100,000 of them in the country now).

As for who’s
going to pay the bills, content co-creation with clients (possibly more
colloquially known as advertorial) will be a big area of focus, with
brands able to link themselves with specific channels.

King said Fairfax would be happy to strike up a relationship with anybody who
asks, which isn’t entirely surprising given its latest financial statements.

So
far the market has responded positively to the offer,
with every agency they’ve pitched to getting a brief for at least one of
their clients.

“It’s really exciting. In terms of creating
content, it can actually be on every screen,” she said.

“Consumer
behaviour has changed so much. They want to watch whatever they want
whenever they want. TV recorders mean people are skipping the ads, so
it’s not a giant leap to think consumers will have a direct relationship
with studios.”

Idealog has been covering the most interesting people, businesses and issues from the fields of innovation, design, technology and urban development for over 12 years. And we're asking for your support so we can keep telling those stories, inspire more entrepreneurs to start their own businesses and keep pushing New Zealand forward. Give over $5 a month and you will not only be supporting New Zealand innovation, but you’ll also receive a print subscription and a copy of the new book by David Downs and Dr. Michelle Dickinson, No. 8 Recharged (while stocks last).